Category: Public Policy

  I am including the Comments form The National Disability Rights Network on the safety and effectiveness of electroshock devices as a supposed "treatment" for ...continue reading "Shocking Behavioral Therapy – The Safety and Effectiveness of Using Electric Shock Devices for Behavior Management"

For Most of the twentieth century it was assumed that people with significant developmental disabilities could not be employed in regular jobs at reasonable wages. ...continue reading "Community Supported Employment – H476"

Idaho Medicaid Redesign:   Promoting Independence for People with Disabilities Medicaid Redesign is a proposal for major changes in Idaho’s health care financing system for ...continue reading "Idaho Medicaid Redesign"

If accepted by the legislature, the new definition reads as follows: Medically necessary services for eligible Medicaid participants under the age of twenty-one (21) are ...continue reading "On October 3, 2012, Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (IDHW) gave notice that it had proposed a new medical necessity definition for use in children’s cases."

There is a trend in some states, including Idaho, to use some combination of assessment tools to arrive at a number (usually a dollar amount) ...continue reading "Measuring a Person’s “Need” for Developmental Disability Services"

DisAbility Rights Idaho’s Comments on Idaho Proposal to Contract with a Managed Care Organization (MCO) for Medicaid Services for People Who are Eligible for Both ...continue reading "Idaho Medicaid Managed Care Proposal"

One of the misguided changes made to Idaho Medicaid benefits in order to cut the budget, is the refusal to allow a person who has ...continue reading "Psychosocial Rehabilitation (PSR) is NOT the same as Developmental Therapy."

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare (IDHW) has implemented the new “blended” reimbursement rates for adult developmental programs. “Blended” rates were suggested by DD ...continue reading "“Blended Rates” for Medicaid Developmental Therapy is Very Bad News for People with Disabilities in Idaho."

My last blog was posted in the middle of the Idaho legislative session and chronicled the terrible effects  H221 would have on Medicaid services for ...continue reading "Community Based Disability Services Will Be Seriously Hurt by H 260."

The most egregious problems with H221 are the elimination of developmental services for people who are not eligible for waiver services and for all people ...continue reading "H221 violates federal law and deprives vulnerable adults of essential safety net services."